Jordan Roughead cemented himself as a vital defender in 2013, but that hasn’t stopped his hunger to keep improving.
Drawing on the expertise of former-Geelong great and Western Bulldogs Specialist Coach Matthew Scarlett, Roughead is working hard to minimise his deficiencies over the pre-season.
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"You've got to have that (competitiveness) every time the ball is in your area," Roughead told the Herald Sun.
"Scarlo was one of the best at that. He always jokes that he wasn't the fittest bloke out there, but he just hated being beaten.
"I don't like being beat, but I know I've got some improvement to make in that area.”
Roughead has also been looking to Scarlett for tips on positional craft, as well as advice on how to read the play as it unfolds and pre-empt his next move accordingly.
"That's what I'm trying to take off him, as well as the obvious positional stuff when you're out on the ground,” he said.
“He's great at giving insight about where to stand when the ball's more than a kick away and then when it's only a kick away and whatnot."
Playing in all 22 games last season proved pivotal for the defender, allowing him to build confidence in his abilities - and Roughead is looking to further consolidate his spot in the back six this season.
"I think just being out there on a more regular basis makes you feel as if you belong," he said.
"Having the senior guys that we have around you fills you with a bit of confidence as well, guys like Dale Morris and Robert Murphy are fantastic and really help me out."
